Ipswich Witches 2026

[IainB]

4 minutes ago, 1 valve said:

Sky did - BT didn't. 
BT transferred the broadcasting rights as part of the new joint venture TNT rebranding . BT are currently finalising a deal to sell their remaining 50% of TNT to their current partner Warner Bros. Discovery and as WBD have yet to finalise a strategy of how to align their over the air (OTA) and streaming strategy their preferred action is not to renew contracts with none priority sports bodies. As you say...at the moment. 
However, when they or others do come to the table we should not expect them to be jumping up and down with excitement if anything other than  that which provides some if not all GP riders AKA a top flight Premier League.  

No, BT binned us off at the end of 2019, then Eurosport picked us up for 2020 (didn't start until 2021 thanks to covid) before being absorbed into BT Sport that then became TNT.

If and when broadcaster does come knocking at the door, then that is the time to formulate a plan to put a proper proposal together to get money from the broadcaster to attract the top stars back, until such a time the sport in the UK just cannot afford those riders. 

Edited 8 hours ago by IainB

[1 valve]

11 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

And very little of that applys to my post, you have just assumed that my view is degrade the sport on all fronts and hope it works well it isn’t so all that is just your opinion which is fine if that’s your view but it’s not mine, I have a plan which covers how 1 league would work with the top riders but it’s too long to detail on here, I might talk about it on the 360 podcast when I’m next on but I don’t get to choose the subjects 

Its absolutely applicable to your post where you said.
"I just don’t understand why they insist 2 leagues when we are in the situation were in"

So I have, at some length provided the answer. 
 

[BluPanther]

1 hour ago, IainB said:

Could be top to the final 2nd v 3rd to the final

Meaning the top team miss out on a bumper play off meeting. It's a sensible solution, but financially flawed...

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

7 minutes ago, BluPanther said:

Meaning the top team miss out on a bumper play off meeting. It's a sensible solution, but financially flawed...

Would need to split the semi receipts 3 ways?

[1 valve]

9 minutes ago, IainB said:

No, BT binned us off at the end of 2019, then Eurosport picked us up for 2020 (didn't start until 2021 thanks to covid) before being absorbed into BT Sport that then became TNT.

If and when broadcaster does come knocking at the door, then that is the time to formulate a plan to put a proper proposal together to get money from the broadcaster to attract the top stars back, until such a time the sport in the UK just cannot afford those riders. 

You are correct re the BT/Eurosport bit - but not because they were dissatisfied with UK speedway but because they were clearing their portfolio of none priority sports.
Re the future. You are proposing almost, aka how the original deal with Sky was done...i.e. "if you give us a load of money this is what we will do". Well that boat has truly sailed I'm afraid. Speedway will need to demonstrate it has a useful current product worth promoting and - This is the biggy -  a clear answer to the question, "besides just giving the money to riders what are you plans for using some of the funds to  developing the sports infrastructure?"
Believe it or not, TV companies and significant sponsors do not like to be seen supporting unworthy projects and getting blamed when their tenure ends.  

[BluPanther]

5 minutes ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

Would need to split the semi receipts 3 ways?

After expenses ? Would you trust a speedway promoter to calculate that honestly...😉

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

Just now, BluPanther said:

After expenses ? Would you trust a speedway promoter to calculate that honestly...😉

True the table toppers would end up owing  the other 2 

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

49 minutes ago, 1 valve said:

Its absolutely applicable to your post where you said.
"I just don’t understand why they insist 2 leagues when we are in the situation were in"

So I have, at some length provided the answer. 
 

No you have at some length provided your opinion which is fine (it’s a forum after all) but very little of that is how I how my plan would work and as for the “better than them “from the premier league well they weren’t my words I was quoting someone else

Edited 7 hours ago by THE DEAN MACHINE

[mikebv]

A five team top tier definitely won't generate extra interest, and, I would suggest, actually reduce attendance's at those five tracks...

Whereby, given nothing else but just using the novelty value alone, a fourteen team "British League" just may get some extra punters through the doors ..

With a perfect world being many of them being competitive enough to make a play off challenge, rather than it being pretty much set in stone by the end of May..

Even with five riders per team, there will probably still need to be guestsfests every week, just like now, and the race format, depending on the breadth of capability levels, may need to be rewritten..

A five team top tier just says that the sport is solely being ran for riders to Double Up, rather than being ran as something to be taken seriously under a team sport concept...

[stevehone]

maybe the top league with 5 teams will be rebranded to the Super League for extra sponsorship?

[LagutaRacingFan]

1 hour ago, BluPanther said:

Meaning the top team miss out on a bumper play off meeting. It's a sensible solution, but financially flawed...

That's nonsense.

In the NFL, the team with the best record skips a round in the play-offs.

You don't hear their owners moan about a gate being lost.

[1 valve]

11 minutes ago, LagutaRacingFan said:

That's nonsense.

In the NFL, the team with the best record skips a round in the play-offs.

You don't hear their owners moan about a gate being lost.

Thats because many sources of income achieved by NFL properties are amalgamated and divided equally amongst all teams. 
For those two teams getting a bye for week one of the playoffs they are more than happy because a) they have an extra week off to recover and prepare and b)they are guaranteed home field advantage for their remaining playoff games including the championship game itself prior to the SuperBowl

[GeneralMelchett]

2 hours ago, 1 valve said:

And if you were able to either of the Sheffield teams to Hallam for a challenge match featuring the top line ups from both sides you can be assured of two things - all joking aside.
1. The ground would be filled to capacity.
2. The Sheffield team would win at a canter 
However,  not sure how new fans that would bring in at the following Hallam home game. 

I think Wed usually do a pre season match there - we have a few other local sides Sheffield FC and Stocksbridge in the local county FA cups they always ensure a sell out which is 1500

However Hallam are on the up - i went Xmas 2007 i think it was and saw tem play in front of crowds of about 90-100 - they now average well over 500 per game - I am sure they picked up some diasaffected Owls but overall they are well up on ten years ago

[BluPanther]

21 minutes ago, LagutaRacingFan said:

That's nonsense.

In the NFL, the team with the best record skips a round in the play-offs.

You don't hear their owners moan about a gate being lost.

The NFL doesn't run on a tight shoe string budget. Comparing the two is hardly the smartest comparison, the NFL's revenue is over $23 billion a year...

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

29 minutes ago, stevehone said:

maybe the top league with 5 teams will be rebranded to the Super League for extra sponsorship?

Who in there right financial mind is going to throw money at this irrespective of what they call it, if I had millions I wouldn’t and I love the sport 

[TTT]

5 Team PREM is far from ideal, However it's still better than One Big Medicore League.

[1 valve]

5 minutes ago, TTT said:

5 Team PREM is far from ideal, However it's still better than One Big Medicore League.

Calling it mediocre sure is putting some positive spin on it! 
It wouldn’t be that good ☹️

[therefused]

17 minutes ago, TTT said:

5 Team PREM is far from ideal, However it's still better than One Big Medicore League.

it isnt though is it, its a complete joke to even call it a league with just five teams. the sport has barely any credibility as it is, there will be even less if the top 'league' has so few teams. 

[RoundTheBoards]

1 hour ago, TTT said:

5 Team PREM is far from ideal, However it's still better than One Big Medicore League.

Absolutely.

Amd without 2 leagues to double-up in, the whole thing falls apart anyway.

Still think a 6 team league can happen.

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

1 hour ago, therefused said:

it isnt though is it, its a complete joke to even call it a league with just five teams. the sport has barely any credibility as it is, there will be even less if the top 'league' has so few teams. 

Especially when 1 is Kings Lynn eh